Monday, January 11, 2016

2 Corinthians 5:9-11

9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

Commentary
Vs. 9 "Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him."

In light of our future and hope with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul now says that whether we are present with the Lord (meaning out of this body and life and thus with Him) or absent from Him, (meaning still living in this mortal body and life), we should all seek to be well pleasing to Him. Thus whatever state we are in, we make it our aim to be well pleasing to Him. 

Vs. 10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."

The judgment seat of Christ is first mentioned here in the New Testament. Now this where each and every believer down through the ages will be judged by the Lord and will be rewarded or suffer loss according to what we have done in the body; whether good or bad; and thus the judgment mentioned here is distinct from Christ's judgment of the unbelieving and unrepentant world (see Rev 20:11-15 for that). This judgment then will cover not only each and every believers works, but also our attitudes and inner motives, and thus it will reveal our persons and character as only the Lord now knows us all. It will be a judgment then where every secret thing and motive will come to light, and be judged and rewarded accordingly, both the good that was done, as well as the bad. 

Vs. 11 "Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences."

"Knowing then the terror of the Lord, we persuade men"... now by saying as much the Apostle Paul is making it most clear that he himself is taking Christ's judgment of him most seriously, and so it was because of his reverent fear of the Lord, the Apostle also sought to persuade others to live lives well pleasing to the Lord (consider Acts ). Now the Apostle Paul also new that what he was as a believer was well known to God, God new his love, his integrity, his faithfulness, his endurance for the Gospel's sake, and thus as much as God already knew him, the Apostle Paul trusted that his person and character was also well known to their consciences as well. Something that each one of us must strive towards living, more open and honest and transparent lives before God and man.


Scripture Quotations 
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.






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